A Lost Rose
by mariontyler
Summary: The Doctor tells Donna about someone he lost that was very special to him.


Donna Noble strolled through the corridors of the TARDIS. It was an absolute thrill to have this opportunity. Ever since Egypt, traveling with the Doctor had been all she'd dreamed about.

She wondered if, perhaps, she had come off as desperate when she asked if she could come with him. Could it be that the only reason he let her come was because she had practically begged? It wasn't as if she was anything special. Just a temp from Chiswick. Why would the Doctor waste his time with her?

She pondered on these things a while longer when she came across a door slightly ajar. While exploring the ship, she'd noticed that unlocked doors were rare enough, let alone open ones. She decided that she ought to take advantage of this opportunity and she started to the door.

Donna stopped when she saw what was inside. The Doctor sitting on a pink-covered bed, staring at a picture frame that he held in his two hands. The room was practically drowned in pink. It was everywhere! The walks were light pink with a door to the right, probably leading to the bathroom. There was a white, wooden dresser next to the bed with all sorts of trinkets scattered abroad. Most of which were pink. Whoever lived here had an obsession. Probably the room of one of the Doctor's previous traveling companions.

Donna stepped inside the doorway and gently pushed the door open more. The Doctor's head shot up in surprise. "Donna," He scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Um, Hi."

Glancing at the frame, Donna inquired, "Who's that photo of?"

He once again stared at the frame, or, rather, the picture in the frame. He handed it to her and she saw a blonde girl who looked about to be twenty or so and rather flirtatious-looking man wearing a World War II jacket standing next to the girl.

"Who are they?" She asked again, in hopes of an answer this time.

He looked back to the photo. "They're old friends of mine, I guess you could say."

"Care to elaborate?" She asked.

He sighed. "That there is Captain Jack Harkness. Bit of a flirt. Well, I say a bit. What I mean is that the way he said his name made it sound like a pick-up line." He chuckled.

"Who's the blonde?"

"You're very inquisitive today." He deflected with a quirked eyebrow.

"And you aren't answering my question. Back to it, Spaceman." He gave her an annoyed look. "Blonde girl." She reminded him. He was a hard one to pry some info from.

Seeming to give in, he replied, "Rose Tyler." He said it as if her name explained everything. And really, it did. Donna had known about Rose from the very first time that she and the Doctor met. He hadn't mentioned her too much. Probably because it hurt. The sadness that she sees in his eyes whenever there he talks of her proves that. Donna had never loved or lost somebody in the way that he had.

She realized something then. "Doctor, you never said. What made her leave?"

He sighed. There was silence for a good while and Donna was about to say to forget it, he answered. "She…she…oh, how do you explain something like this?" he mumbled. "We were coming to Earth to visit her family and something was wrong. We went to investigate, but it all got out of hand. I tried to send her away to be safe, but she came back. She always comes back." He smiled, looking distant. But the smile disappeared from his face almost as fast as it had appeared. When hee some again, his voice was quiet and stoic. "It was only us then. And she tried to help, but her lever malfunctioned and she couldn't hold on and…"

He looked near tears. Donna had never seen the Doctor this open, this vulnerable. He scrubbed a hand down his face and spoke again. "She's trapped. Rose is trapped in a parallel universe where I can never see her again."

Donna felt her heart break for the Doctor. Not knowing what else to do, she sat on the bed next to him and rubbed his back comfortingly. "Well, it's like you said, right? She always comes back. Don't give up hope yet, yeah?"

He looked up at her. "Yeah." Then, he stood abruptly and said loudly, "Right! Donna Noble! Where'd you wanna go now? You've seen the past how 'bout the future. Ah! I ought to take you to Tricolva! Oh, you'd love it! Allons-y!"

With that he turned and strode out the door. Donna shook her head in confusion at his sudden change in behavior and then left the room to get ready for their next adventure.


End file.
